Police Arrest Dozens in London During Large-Scale Protest Operation

(MENAFN) Authorities in central London detained 43 individuals on Saturday as part of a major policing effort involving more than 4,000 officers, according to reports.

The large-scale operation was aimed at keeping rival demonstrations apart by establishing what police described as a “sterile zone” between a march led by anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson and a separate pro-Palestinian gathering.

Officials said 20 arrests were connected to the “Unite the Kingdom” rally, while 12 were associated with the “Nakba” protest. Another 11 detainees were either unrelated to the demonstrations or could not immediately be linked to either side.

Police stated that 11 arrests involved suspected hate crime offenses. Of those cases, two were tied to the Nakba protest and nine were linked to the Unite the Kingdom demonstration.

According to authorities, the alleged offenses included incidents motivated by race, religion, sexuality, and disability.

Investigators are also examining seven additional hate crime allegations, with suspects still unidentified. Reports said all of those ongoing investigations are connected to the Nakba protest.

Authorities further revealed that three arrests were carried out using live facial recognition systems. Those individuals were reportedly wanted for failing to appear in court, and police noted they had no connection to either protest group.

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